Category: Taiwan

國立臺灣博物館 National Taiwan Museum
No. 2, Siang-Yang Road, Taipei, Taiwan
886 (02) 23822566
admission: FREE

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Right after our visit to Taipei 228 Memorial Museum, we went straight to 國立臺灣博物館 National Taiwan Museum w/c is located at the same park.

國立臺灣博物館 National Taiwan Museum is the oldest museum in Taiwan.  Established in 1908, it is the only museum still in operation in spite being established during the colonial years (Japan->Nationalist).

The museum concentrates on 5 areas:

• Anthropology – Story of Mankind.
• Earth Sciences – Study of the Earth.
• Zoology – Study of Animals.
• Botany – Study of Plants.
• Education – Promotion of Natural History Collection & Research.

Here are some of the exhibitions during our visit:

• Legend of the Pingpu Group

• Darwin Now

• Animals & Plants in Taiwan

The rest of the pictures can be found here.

Through the åœ‹ç«‹è‡ºç£åšç‰©é¤¨ National Taiwan Museum, we get a glimpse of Taiwan’s evolution through its exhibitions, publications & education programs.  That is also why the museum is regarded as an educational institution.

One thing that I remember was that the museum’s lounge was just too pretty hahaha!  Because of its lighting, you would really get good pictures there. 😛  Here is a picture of my mom that I really really really love!

台北二二八紀念館 Taipei 228 Memorial Museum
#3 Ketagalan Blvd., Taipei, Taiwan
886 (02) 23897228
Entrance: 20NT

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台北二二八紀念館 Taipei 228 Memorial Museum was built to remember the historical tragedy that happened on February 28, 1947.  It was established to educate the people about the massacre that happened on that day, and to allow the people to be conscious of Taiwan’s history thus helping us heal old wounds and look forward to a brighter future.

I’ll try my best to share with you what I learned about how the 2-28 massacre contributed to Taiwan’s transformation from dicatorship to democracy.  The experience was just heartwarming.  I’m close to tears already just remembering my visit there.  I can feel the love of country the people of Taiwan have just by browsing through the museum pieces.

Taiwan was a Japanese colony for 50 years.  The Japanese government had established financial systems, constructed infrastructures that resulted in Taiwanese modernization.  After the 2nd World War, people from Mainland China regarded Taiwan’s identification with Japan as a form of slavery.  That misinterpretation caused friction and set the stage for cultural conflict preceding the 2-28 massacre.

After Japan surrendered in 1945, Taiwan welcomed the Chinese government with great enthusiasm not knowing that their expectation of a better new era would be the start of a tragic period.

Taiwan experienced all sorts of hardships after the arrival of the Nationalist government: political corruption, increase in crime rate, living standards where lowered.  The growing resentment erupted when a 40-y/o woman was arrested over selling cigarettes illegally.  The woman knelt and begged for mercy as it was her only means to make a living.  But the agent didn’t care and beat up the woman on her head using his pistol, leaving the woman bloody & unconscious.

Today, Taiwan had already walked out of this tragedy & martial law.  As countless lives were lost, democracy came with cost.  The museaum’s Hall of remembrance honors lives that were lost durning 2-28.

I’m pretty sure most of us who visited the å°åŒ—二二八紀念館 Taipei 228 Memorial Museum learned a lot about the history and felt the extraordinary love of country by its people.  I can’t help but leave a message on their cork board showing how much I appreciated the purpose of putting up the place & how I felt their history.

You can find the rest of the pictures here.

國家圖書館 National Central Library
No.20, Zhongshan S. Rd., Zhongzheng District, Taipei City 10001, Taiwan
886-2-2361913

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Located just across the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, this library is the only National Library in Taiwan.

To enter, you’ll either have to leave your ID to get temporary pass for the day or you can also get a permanent card by showing your passport & submitting a photo.

As I was just a tourist, I took the temporary pass to get in.  When I entered the library, I started taking pictures (no flash).  One of the personnel approached me and asked me to stop taking pictures as it is not allowed in the library.  They’re very strict but I understand why there is such a rule.

In åœ‹å®¶åœ–書館 National Central Library, we’ll be able to find extensive collection of magazines, books, newspapers, art & a lot more.

Highlights are the ff:

• Chinese Studies Resources
• Microform Materials
• General Books & Periodicals
• Electronic Resources
• Chinese Rare Books/Special Collection
• Government Publications & Law Collection

This 6-floor library, would you believe, has internet access available.  It offered a number of computers for free use & also provide DSL ports for those who came with their laptop.  Cool, isn’t it?  A high-tech National Library! 🙂

More pictures here.

中正紀念堂 (Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall)
21 Zhongshan S. Road, Taipei, Taiwan, R.O.C.
886 (02) 2343-1100-3
Admission: FREE

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My mom accompanied me to CKSC Memorial Hall & at that time, the weather was unbearably HOT!  You can’t even open your eyes that well as the sun was shining soooo brightly.  We arrived at around ten thirty in the morning but found out that the Theater & Concert Hall where the restaurants & coffee shops were would open at around eleven thirty in the morning.

Mom sat around the corner, she was hiding in the shade! hahaha!  While I bravely embraced the sunny weather and took some pictures of the amazing CKSC Memorial Park.

Chiang-kai Shek was a leader who strived for modernizing the Republic of China.  When he died in 1975, the Taiwan nation grieved when they lost such a great leader.  The citizens proposed to establish a memorial hall for Chiang-kai Shek to show their utmost respect to the leader they missed.

In order to reach the statue, you will need to climb up 89-step stairs.  The number of steps signifies Chiang Kai-shek’s age when he died.

The bronze sculpture of Chiang Kai-shek dominates the main hall.  If you noticed, there are inscriptions on the wall behind the statue.  Those 3 words are the 3 principles of the people and of Chiang Kai-shek’s political thinking.

• Ethics – Principle of Minzu (the People’s Connection/Relation, Government of the People or Nationalism)
• Democracy – Principle of Minquan (the People’s Power of Government by the People)
• Science – Principle of Minsheng (the People’s Welfare/Livelihood or Government for the People)

There are also inscriptions on each side of the walls.  They say:

• the purpose of life is to improve the general life of humanity.
• the meaning of life is to create & sustain subsequent lives in the universe.

On the ground floor, you’ll find a museum dedicated to Chiang Kai-shek’s life.  It has paintings, medals, uniforms, manuscripts, etc.

The 250,000 sq. meter ground also includes the National Theater (where we had our brunch) & National Theater Hall w/c I found sooo astounding!

National Theater Hall

National Concert Hall

National Theater Hall even have a section where we can see what’s in store for the month.  They provide LCDs in the walkway and there’s a preview for every upcoming show!  Coolness.  Here’s one:

The rest of the pictures can be found here.

西門町 (Ximending) is a very popular place in Taipei where the young hang out.

With over six thousand vendors, and twenty theaters, Ximending is definitely a place any artists would love to perform in as well as a place for businessmen would want to have commercial space in.

You would be able to see almost anything we enjoy doing like shopping, theaters, coffee shops, bars, tattoo parlors, fast food restaurants, gift shops.  If you’re looking for something new or trendy, you would surely find it there.

It is in è¥¿é–€ç”º (Ximending) where we tried Taiwan’s famous Pork Stew Rice (燉肉飯).  This is also where we tried the modern toilet restaurant, w/c is super cool. (I’ll post about modern toilet restaurant soon!)

西門町 (Ximending) is a very busy area. There are always a lot of people hanging around, but nights and weekends are their peak time.

Here is è¥¿é–€ç”º (Ximending) during the day:

Just to give a little history, è¥¿é–€ç”º (Ximending) got its name during the Japanese era where it was named after an administrative division.  Later on, the Japanese decided to set it up into an entertainment & business area.  è¥¿é–€ç”º (Ximending) became even more successful after Japan’s defeat.

Some surprises that we’ve seen in è¥¿é–€ç”º (Ximending) were:

• Cute Animals being displayed at night.

• A pink shop had a ritual when they were closing.  I was in awe.  I totally forgot to take a video of it!  The six pretty ladies in pink would say something in japanese then they would keep bowing to us.  They then would step back a few spaces and the door will close on them.  You will be able to see that they were just staying where they were until the door completely shut down on them. hahaha what a nice sight to see!

西門町 (Ximending) is definitely a must-go see when you’re in Taiwan.  Truly a hip place for us young & for the young at heart 😉

I have 2 sets of albums for è¥¿é–€ç”º (Ximending): daytime & night time, take your pick.